Oxygen chamber



Jan. 2,8, 1930. J. F. HANRAHAN `1,744,890

OXYGEN CHAMBER Filed Nov. 18. 1926 I .\'I ENTOR.

...1 TTORLYEY.

Patented Jan. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE JOSEPH F. HANRAHAN, OF LONG ISLAND ACITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF SEVENTY- v FIVE PER CENT TO PETER A. BOG-AARD, OIF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK OXYGEN CHAMBER Application led November 18, 1926. Serial No. 149,194.

This invention relates to oxygen chambers and in particular to a type in which the patient undergoing a treatment by oxygen can have free normal movement and can live under natural conditions while undergoing the` oxygen treatment.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a chamber which can be rendered air and gas proof and which may be of the portable or stationary type, as desired, and in which proper means may be provided for the successful administration of oxygen to a patient requiring oxygen treatment.

Various attempts have been made to provide a proper means for the successful administration of oxygen but so far, these methods have failed because of discomfort, pain and other conditions experienced by patients when these various means of applying the oxygen were used. In the administration of oxygen, -it is necessary that the same besupplied under natural conditions and these principles have been heretofore ignored in applying the artificial administering means. 'A living human naturally inhales 2O percent of oxygen in every 100 cubic feet of air without the use of any artificial method and in the treatment of patients it is necessary to conform to the natural conditions as nearly as possible, in the administration of a surplus of oxygen to a patient and wherever possible, to have the patient feel as comfortable as if inhaling oxygen under the natural life conditions. The only natural way to administer the surplus of oxygen to a patient is to charge the air in a gas proof chamber with a -surplus of oxygen and to provide the chamber of such dimensions that the patient can move about therein. n f

A further object must be the elimination of any communication between the external and internal air in the chamber. The air in the chamber must be kept free of odors, gases, germs and any surplus of moisture and the chamber must be so arranged that the patient can go to bed and get out of bed when desired, may sit upright, and read or Write or continue any ofthe normal functions of life, without being hampered by any artificial inhalation means.

rarefication of air which is charged with a surplus of oxygen to be administeredv to patients as directed by the physician. To get the most perfect results, therefore, the following conditions must prevail. Circulation of air must be continuous, evaporation and condensation must be continuous because the patient continuously exhales carbon dioxide for every breath he inhales and the surplus of moisture must be eliminated from the air so as to maintain the chamber at the humidity desired by the physician. These results can be obtained by complying with the natural laws in which there is no conflict between two volumes of cold air nor between two volumes of hot air nor between volumes of hot and cold air. The unification of the air current by this fans and other devices. rlhe current of air -from a fan in a chamber of this type would be too violent for a sensitive patient and the noise of a motor or other air moving device vwould be disturbing and would only tend to churn the air in a chamber of this type.

It is necessary therefore in order to obtain successful results to have a perfect circulation of air in the chamber How in a current over the entire floor surface of the chamber from side wall to side wall and from end wall to end wall and from door to ceiling, whereby perfect circulation is insured and the rareed air is continually passing over the bed or beds and is inhaled by the patients during its movement through the chamber.

A further-.particular object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a chamber in which the rareiied air `may be caused to circulate continuously through a refrigerating medium, which will remove therefrom the moisture and to provide in the chamber, a carbon dioxide counter-acting agent which will insure the circulation of pure, rareed air through the chamber.

To enable others skilled in features ef my invention that they may embody the same in the various modifications in structure and relation contemplated, a drawing depicting a preferred form has been annexed as a part of this disclosure and in such drawing, similar reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, of which,

Figure 1 is a View in sectional elevation of a stationary chamber, provided with my rareed air circulating means, the position thereof and of the patient in the room, being illustrated.

Figure 2 is a sectional view in elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l and showing the arrangement of the refrigerating coil which maintains the air in circulation in the chamber, and

, Figure 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view in sectional elevation showing the use of an ice holding chamber in the room, there being provided in connection with said chamber, a trap door arrangement whereby the oxygen in the chamber is prevented from escaping when it becomes necessary to replenish the refrigerating chamber with ice or other cooling medium.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 5 indicates a room or oxygen chamber which may be constructed permanently and provided with a ceiling 6 and side walls 7 and 8. The room or chamber 5 may be closed at one end through the medium of a suitable door 9 which may be air proof in any desired manner, and in the opposite wall of the room there may be provided openings 10 and 11, the lower one of which, 11, is closed through the medium of a trap door 12, and the upper one of which is closed by a trap door 13, which is connected by a link 14 to an inner door 15, which is hinged to the upper edge of a partition 16, and extends the length thereof, the partition being held in any suitable manner in spaced relation with the wall 8 and extending from end wall to end wall of the room. Behind this partition 16, there is positioned the refrigerating coils 18 through which ilow water, brine, or other refrigerating chemical, so that the air surrounding the coil will be acted upon in its passage between the strands of the coil. A thermometer 30 is provided for indicating the temperature of the refrigerant. 'Ihe drippings from the coils are caught in the trays 17 and are emptied at one end into the pan 20, from which the drippings may be drawn off, as at 21. Positioned below the pan 20, is the basket 22 in which is deposited soda lime for the extraction from the air of the carbon dioxide and this tray or basket 22, as shown in Figure 2, extends longitudinally of the partition 16 and access thereto may be had when the trap door is open, through the wall opening 11, so that the soda lime may be deposited in the basket, when necessary. The oxygen is supplied to the chamber in any suitable manner, such as through the oxygen tank, for instance, 23, which may be set up in the room, or which may be fed into the room through a suitable pipe or in any other way desirable.

Adjacent the lower edge of the partition 16, I have provided a diagonally disposed defleeting board 24, which extends beyond and covers the heating means 25, which are positioned next to the wall and near the floor and may extend the length of the refrigerating chamber at the opposite sides of the room to temper the rareied air in the chamber and maintain it at the temperature prescribed by the physician.

With my improved construction, it is evident that the rarefied air circulates in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figure 1, and the rarefied air that has been inhaled by the patient, becomes warm in the chamber, rises to the ceiling, flows therealong as indicated, and is forced down through the refrigerating chamber 18 by the upward pressure of the cooler air which has previously passed down through the refrigerating chamber, which is composed, as before described, by the partition 16 being spaced from the wall 8 and extending from end wall to end wall of the room. This rareied air in passing down through the coils 18 is relieved of its moisture and in passing through the counter-acting agent, has removed therefrom the carbon dioxide, so that when the air again enters the patients chamber in its free, natural state, and is accordingly circulated due to the pressure of the air that has passed through the refrigerating coils, it being of course understood that cold air in its downward movement will force upwardly all of the warm air with which it comes into contact, in my improved construction, I have unified all of the forces and have made a continuous circulation of evenly temperatured air which has a high oxygen content and which continually circulates about the chamber as indicated to give the patient the normal treatment by passing the air around him and by providing a continuous flow of air of even .temperature of high oxygen content.

The defiecting board 24, disposed adjacent the bottom of the condensing chamber, prevents sudden contact of the column of cold air with the floor and allows the same to flow out along the floor of the chamber.

It will be evident from Figures 1 and 3 that when the refrigerant agent must be replenished, the trap door 13 may be drawn down and through the medium of the link 14, will automatically close the trap door 15 thereby shutting oif and preventing the escapeof theA lll oxygen in the chamber to the exterior there of, which would be the case if the trap door 13, alone, was used.

In Figure 3, I have shown a rack 26 inthe condensing chamber upon which may be placed cakes of ice 27, it being understood, of course, that the cakes of ice will be used when a lportable chamber was employed, which could be set up around the bed of the patient.

It is evident, therefore, that I have provided a chamber for the use of a patient in which the air can be surcharged with a surplus of oxygen to any percentage desired and retained in its rarefied state, except When the door is opened for the entrance or exit of a patient and then very little oxygen can flow out of the chamber as there will be very little difference between the external and internal air in the chamber. This chamber will also give the patient full liberty to sit erect or lie down or move around, as desired, without detracting from the benefit of the oxygen treatment as administered. I have also provided in this chamber a condensing chamber in which conflict be tween the cold air descending in the condensing chamber and the hottest part of the cold air ascending in the patients chamber is prevented. Through the medium of this condensing chamber, I produce a pressure of the air with the use of the air only which causes continuous circulation thereof.

In this chamber, I have also provided a very important feature, namely, the division wall, which performs t-he function of keeping the heated air which flows over the top thereof into contact with the condensing coils or refrigerant agent, whereby the refrigerating means being staggered as shown, break up the volume of air into smaller volumes, thereby bringing as much of the air as is possible into direct contact with the refrigerant, whereby the air itself is freed of its odors, gases, germs and surplus of moisture.

. Within the chamber, I have also provided, as before mentioned, the chemical holding tray or basket, in which is disposed soda lime or other chemicals, which a physican might use to eliminate carbon dioxide or other gases or impurities from the air.

It is evident also that I have provided a chamber, the principles of which may be employed in various other kinds of construction in which a continuous surplus of oxygen may be administered to a patient and at the same time allow the patient to have normal active movements, the chamber being adapted for use for other purposes.

IVhile I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity,`

, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made. I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is 1. The combination in an oxygen supply room of a condensing chamber, a refrigerant in said chamber, a thermometer for indicat-` ing the temperature of the refrigerant, the chamber opening into the room at its top and bottom so that the circulation of air is ossible through the room and the cham er, the bottom openin constituting an outlet, a deliector under said outlet, heatlng means in the room adjacent the floor and part of said heating means being disposed below the deiector under said refrigerating chamber', carbon dioxide removing agent positioned in the lower part of the refrigerating chamber 'and a trap door for simultaneously. opening the refrigerator chamber to atmosphere and closing it to the oxygen chamber.

2. In combination, an oXy en supply room, a condensing chamber, a refrigerant in said chamber, the upper level of which is in close proximity to the ceiling of the chamber, a thermometer for indicating the temperature ofthe refrigerant, the chamber opening into the room at its top and bottom so that the circulation of air is possible throu h the room and into the chamber and the re rigerant extending to a point above the top of the condensing chamber, the bottom opening constituting an outlet from the condensing chamber, a deector under said outlet, a carbon dioxide removin agent positioned in the lower part of the re rigerating chamber and a trap door for simultaneously opening the refrigerating chamber to atmosphere and closing it to the oxygen chamber.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH F. HANRAHAN. [1.. 8.] 

